Bottle carrier



April 15, 1952 c. GILBERT BOTTLE CARRIER 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Filed June 2, 1948 CLYD E. LGILBERT April 15, 1952 c. GILBERT 2,593,135

BOTTLE CARRIER Filed June 2, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 arwa/wfm CLYDE LGILBERT unfolded;

Patented Apr. 15, 1952 7 BOTTLE CARRIER Clyde L. Gilbert, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to Owens Illinois Glass Company, acorporation of Ohio Application June 2, 1948, Serial No. 30,597

4 Claims.

My invention relates to carriers for bottles and other articles and as herein shown, is adapted for carrying bottles such as used for soft drinks or other beverages.

An object of the invention is to provide anovel and improved form of bottle carrier of the type comprising a plurality of separate pockets or cells for receiving the bottles. The carrier is designed to be formed from a single blank which when properly scored, cut, stapledand glued, is adapted T to be folded to a flat or collapsed form, and which can be opened into a set-up position quickly and with ease.

A further object of the invention is to produce such a carrier having unusual ridigity combined with an attractive appearance.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier of the type indicated which when set up in bottle receiving form is particularly adapted to facilitate the rapid placing of bottles in the carrier by automatic machinery.

Other objects of theinvention will appear hereinafter.

-.Referring to the accompanying drawings:

.Fig. 1 is a plan View of a blank cut and scored, ready to be folded for forming a carrier;

. 2 is a side elevation of the carrier in its collapsed or folded form; V

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the carrier unfolded or set up ready to receive the bottles;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation at the line 6-6 on ,Fig. 4;. r

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the carrier partly Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the set-up carrier; Fig. 1 shows the side of the cut and scored blank which forms the outer surface of the set-up. carrier. The blank is formed with a series of fold lines (shown as broken lines) and a series of slits,

permitting the blank to be folded. The blank is; made of paperboard, cardboard or other suitable bent or folded in forming thecarrier.

The blank comprises a rectangular bottom forming section In, the side edges ofwhich are" defined byfold lines H and I2 extending between the end edges l3 and [4. A median fold line l extends from end to end of said bottom section I 0.

Thepanels I6 and I1 which form the sides of:

2 7 lines [8 and I9, and the ends of the side panel I! being defined by score lines and 2!. y

, End sections 22 and 23 together form one end of the carrier, said endsections being secured together as hereinafter described by. means of flaps 24 foldable inwardly relative to the end sections along fold lines 25. The opposite end of the carrier comprises endsections 26 and 21 secured together, by means of flaps 28 foldable along the score lines 29. r

-The blank comprises a section 3l which in the set-up" carrier forms a vertical median wall, or partition extending lengthwise of the carrier and positioned above the body portion of the carrier.

The section 3| is provided with a central fold line 32 and a circular opening 33.

Slits 35 are cut through the blank and extend lengthwise thereof from the fold lines. 25 and 29 toward the center portion-of the side panels l6, l1 and terminate at the inner ends of short fold lines 35. Said slits define the inner edges of narrowstrips 31 which in the set-up carrier provide cell wall or partitions extending inwardly from the sidesof the carrier to the plane of the partition wall 3|, thereby dividingthe carrier into individual rectangular cells 38.: a

Each of the flaps 24 and 28 has a coating 40 of glue or adhesive material applied to a portion. of one surface-thereof as indicated by thestippling. Each said flap has a corner portion cutaway to provide a recess 4| for a purpose hereinafter stated. 7 p i To set up the carrier, the blank may be folded as follows: The flaps 24 are folded along the lines 25 to a position at right angles to the end sections 22, 23, with the glued surfaces 40 facingoutedges abutting at the fold lines 22 and 23, the

flaps 24 also being brought together and extendinginwardly in juxtaposition and cemented ,to-

: gether by the glue 40. The opposite end sections 26 and 21. are folded and secured together in like manner. l I l When the side panels are turned upwardly at the fold lines I I and I2 and the end panels turned inwardly, the partition strips 31 are also bent at the fold lines l8, I9, 20, and 2| but in a direction such that the said strips extend inwardly from the fold line 36, perpendicular to the sides of the carrier. The inner edge of the partition panel 3| is defined in part by a slit 46 extending from one end of the panel to the fold line 23, and in part by one of the slits 35. The panel 3| is thus completely severed from the blank except along short portions of the fold lines 23 and 25. This permits the folding or setting up of the carton in the manner described. The section 3| is folded at the line 32 so that in the set-up carton it forms a two-ply wall with the outer edge 45 extending along or about on a level with the top surface of the body of the carrier.

As shown in Fig. 1, the portion 31 of the strip 31 which extends along the end section 22, between the fold lines l8 and 25, and which in the set-up carton extends along the median line of the carrier, is above the top level of the carrier body defined by the upper edge -46. 3! is positioned to lie against theinner surface of the folded section 3|. The construction and arrangement just described is similar with respect to each of the strip'sections 3'| so that in the set-up carrier the sections 31* extend inwardly between the two plies of the partition 3|, thereby spacing the said plies a short distance apart. The parts are securely held in this position by means of staples 41. As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, each staple extends through six plies of the material comprised by the two plies of the folded wall 3|, the two plies provided by the strip portions 31 and the two plies formed by the superposed flaps 24.

A bail 50'which serves as a handle for the carrier and which is removably attached, may be made of metal, plastic, or other material. This handle or'bail includes vertical slides 5| and horizontal inturned end portions 52.

The sides 5| extend downwardly between the two plies of the partition 3| and the handle is movable downward (Fig. 7) when not in use. The finger opening 33 permits the handle to be easily raised to the carrying position with the ends 52 within the fold of the partition 3|. The six-ply construction above described spaces the walls of the'partition 3|) sufficiently to permit the handle to be easily attached to or removed from the carrier as well as permitting it to move up and down while attached. The recesses (ll,

as indicated in Fig. 2, give clearance forthe handle, permitting it to be lowered as shown in Fig. 7.

The carrier is adapted to be folded to the flat, collapsed or knocked-down form as shown in Fig. 2. When thus flattened it occupies little space, adapting it for packing, storing, and shipping. In collapsing the set-up carton, the bottom folds downwardly, doubling at the center line l5. As the bottom collapses downwardly, the end panel sections 26 and 2'! swing inwardly as indicated in Fig. 7. At the same time, the opposite end sections 22 and 23 swing outwardly about the fold lines l8 and 20. The partition sections 31 likewise swing in the same direction. The swinging end sections and partition sections carry with them the partition 3| which as shown in Fig. 2 is thus offset lengthwise relative to the side sections l6 and I! of the carrier body.

When the carrier is set up as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the bottom I0 is anchored in its set-up position by means of locking tabs 55 at the lower ends of the flaps 24 and 28. As shown in Fig. 1 the said tabs are outlined in part by recesses 56 in the flaps. The tabs are formed at their inner The strip I ends with projections 51. The bottom panel I0 is formed with slots 58 to receive the locking tabs. When the carrier is set up or unfolded, the tabs 55 enter and protrude through the slots 58 as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the projections 51 hooking beneath the bottom panel. This prevents accidental collapse of the carrier and permits it to be placed fiaton a table top or any other fiat surface while the carrier is being loaded with bottles.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A blank of foldable sheet material having weakened fold lines along which the blank is foldable for forming a bottle carrier, said blank comprising a rectangular bottom-forming panel with a median fold line extending lengthwise thereof, side panels integrally united to the bottom panel by fold lines defining the sides of said bottom panel, end forming panel sections at the ends of each side panel and forming extensions of the side panels, said sections being united with the side panels along fold lines in line with and extending from the end edges of the bottom panel; sealing flaps at the outer sides of said end panels and united directly to the end panels by fold lines, adhesive material covering surface portions of said fiaps, said side panels being foldable upwardly from the horizontal plane of the bottom panel, the said end panel sections being foldable inwardly from the upturned side panels, said end panel sections being of such width that when folded inwardly at right angles to the side panels their outer edges substantially meet in abutting relation, said flaps being foldable inwardly relative to the end panels to superpose said flaps, permitting them to be adhered together by said adhesive material, the blank being weakened along the said fold lines to permit folding at said lines, said blank being formed with slits each extending across a said end panel section and through a portion of the adjoining side panel and defining the inner edge of a partition strip, the outer end of each slit being at the fold line between the end panel and the attached sealing flap, the partition strips being foldable with the blank into position to form separating walls or partitions dividing the carrier into individual cells.

2. A carrier formed of foldable sheet material and comprising a rectangular bottom, side panels integrally united with said bottom along fold lines defining the side edges of saidbottom and extending upwardly therefrom, end panel sections at the opposite ends of each Side panel and folded inwardly perpendicular to the side panels to form end panels, the panel sections at each end of the carrier having their inner edges substantially meeting, and end flaps united to the end panel sections along said meeting edges and folded inwardly along said meeting edges, with the inner faces of the flaps substantially in the central vertical plane extending lengthwise of the carrier, and adhesive material covering areas of said inner faces and securing together the end flaps at each end of the carrier, said bottom being formed with a slot extending parallel to the central vertical plane of the carrier and a said end fiap being formed with a locking tab extending downward through the slot in interlocking engagement with said bottom.

3. A bottle carrier consisting of foldable sheet material and comprising a rectangular bottom panel, vertical side panels rising from the side edges of the bottom panel, end panels folded in wardly from the end edges of the side panels, each said end panel comprising panel sections having meeting edges at the central vertical longitudinal plane of the carrier, flaps integral with the said end sections and extending inwardly from said meeting edges, and means of securing said flaps together, said bottom panel being formed with a slot extending parallel to the central vertical plane of the carrier and a said flap being formed with a locking tab extending downward through said slot in interlocking engagement with the bottom panel.

4. A bottle carrier consisting of foldable sheet material and comprising a rectangular bottom panel and vertical sides and ends, said carrier being collapsible to a folded form, the bottom panel being 'formed with a weakened longitudinal fold line permitting the bottom to collapse, the ends of the-carrier each comprising sections toldable along a vertical fold line at which the ends are folded when the carrier is collapsed, said ends sbeing formed with inwardly extending flaps, the

ttom panel and said flaps being formed respeciely with slots and tabs, said slots lying along d weakened longitudinal told line, the tabs beg extended through said slots in interlocking gagement with the bottom panel. CLYDE L. GILBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bird Dec. 18, 1934 Powell June 20, 1939 Levkoff Mar. 3, 1942 Slevin, Jr. June 22, 1943 Arneson Apr. 4, 1944 Ferguson Dec. 19, 1944 Slevin, Jr. Jan. 9, 1945 Holy Apr. 1, 1947 

